Judges’ decision delayed

By Fiona Finch

Lancashire County Council has extended the deadline for reaching a possible agreement on the future of the Judges’ Lodgings Museum at Lancaster.

Cabinet member Coun Marcus Johnstone said negotiations are continuing with the local group which wants to run it.

He said: “It’s a local consortium - it’s just a question of the local group getting all the resources and things it needs together.”

The museum closed to the public last year as part of wide ranging council cuts, but school visits have continued. The council had hoped external organisations and groups would step in to continue running its cuts hit museums, including the Museum of Lancashire in Preston and textile museums at Helmshore, which have also closed to the public.

The deadline for an agreement has been extended from March 31 to September 1 for the Judge’s Lodgings following a request from the group hoping to take over.

A council spokeswoman said: “Negotiation are ongoing with a group and that is progressing. While that is ongoing we are continuing with the robust care and maintenance regime and looking after it...We are hopeful that an outside organisation will be able to take on the running of it.”

No announcements have been made about the future of the Museum of Lancashire or the textile museums and a council spokeswoman said negotiations are continuing.